Vapor vortex heat sink
A hermetic Rankine cycle in a sealed casing powers an internal centrifugal condensate pump with an internal vapor turbine during forced convective heat transfer between a heat source and a heat sink. No work is imported into the cycle during operation. A centrifugal pumping disk shears the working fluid against a heating surface, sweeping evolving vapor into radial vortices which provide sink flow conduits to a vapor space at the center of the cylindrical turbine. Convective mass flow through the vapor space to the condensing end of the casing spins the turbine and the centrifugal pumping disk which is connected to it. Vapor is continuously swept from the heating surface, so bubbles do not form and superheat while blocking heat flux into liquid working fluid. Vapor is sucked through the radial vortices into the central vapor space and into the condensing end of the casing along the low pressure gradients in vortex cores established by cooling power. A high heat flux surface is thereby thermally connected to a conventional heat sink having high cooling power, for maximal heat extraction at data centers or other heat sources. Vapor vortices organize counterflow of vapor and condensate in a continuous mass flow cycle, and extract work from heat. Organic working fluids can be used in the casing to make even low temperature waste heat a power source.
1. An apparatus for heat exchange between a heat source and a heat sink, comprising
(1) at least one sealed casing having a centerline and comprising
an evaporating end at one end of the casing, the evaporating end comprising a heating surface thermally communicating with the heat source, and
a condensing end at the other end of the casing, the condensing end comprising a condensing surface thermally communicating with the heat sink, the heat sink structured to reject heat from the apparatus;
(2) a working fluid hermetically contained within the casing;
(3) a vortex organizer positioned within the casing between the evaporating end and the condensing end, the vortex organizer being rotatable about an axis positioned approximately along the centerline and being spaced apart from the casing and defining an annular condensate space between the vortex organizer and the casing, the annular condensate space structured to provide a path for condensate to flow from the condensing end to the evaporating end, the vortex organizer further comprising
a central vapor space that provides a path for vapor to flow from the evaporating end to the condensing end, and
(4) a centrifugal pumping disk coupled to the vortex organizer, the pumping disk coupled within the evaporating end of the casing and spaced apart therefrom, the centrifugal pumping disk defining
an advection space between the casing and the pumping disk, the advection space communicating with the condensate space, and
a radial vortex space between the pumping disk and the heating surface, the radial vortex space communicating with the advection space and the vapor space through an aperture at the center of the pumping disk.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
radial volutes positioned on the heating surface, the radial volutes defining radial channels for flow of the working fluid radially inward to the axis of rotation; and
an annular bearing assembly positioned between and coupled to the pumping disk and the volutes on the heating surface.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the radial volutes extend in the radial vortex space.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a static wall positioned between the vortex organizer and the condensate space.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
thermal insulation in the vortex organizer positioned between the vapor space and the condensate space.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
thermal insulation in the casing.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a drive spindle that connects the vortex organizer to an armature of a generator, the drive spindle extending through the casing at the condensing end.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the heating surface comprises a heat source positioned within the radial vortex space.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the vortex organizer includes runners.
10. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a reaction turbine positioned within the condensing end.
11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the working fluid includes an organic compound.
12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the working fluid includes HFC-245fa.
13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the working fluid includes water.
14. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of heat sources thermally connected to the heating surface.